www.-clubs-international.com | BMW Clubs’ World | 12th year | Edition 2 | May 2014

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 BMW Clubs International Council Newsletter

new location of bmw group classic.

Techno classica Adventure Tour Interview with in Essen, 2014 following the Dr. Ralf Ziegler Edititororiaiall

Dear bmw club members, The BMW Club season has now taken off in my region as spring is finally here. The Techno Classica show held in Essen in March is the world’s leading historic car exhibition and afforded an opportunity for the BMW Classic and Type Clubs Section, the worldwide umbrella organisation for historic BMW automobiles and motorcycles, together with BMW Classic, to present the whole BMW Motorsport brand range on two and four wheels, as well as reliving the kick-offs of the 1930s, 50s and 70s in the shape of the BMW Dixi, the R 23, or a BMW 1502. I regard this as a coherent presentation by equal partners – the clubs and the brands.

A minimalist, brightly-lit, open stand layout integrated the clubs, their members, visitors and BMW Classic and BMW Club Office staff members to create a single entity, the BMW brand communication culture. This is a multi-layered term that is open to interpre- tation, but also the key to the development of shared potential. It is a permanent fixture in the guidelines of the BMW Clubs International Council, at Council meetings and in many club publications, often formulated, modified and put into practice, sometimes overlooked and also positively supported.

The international BMW Club organisation, you as a club delegate, your own BMW Club and its members, the Board of the Council, the head of BMW Classic and Ms Sabine Fink as the new head of BMW Museum and BMW Group Classic Marketing and the BMW Club organisation are called upon to exploit this potential, carried by Club members worldwide – also in advance of the forthcoming centenary of the BMW brand on 7 March 2016. In other words, we need continuously to improve the quality of the results of our own activities in order to permanently improve their profile among all club members and within the BMW brand organisation and its staff worldwide.

In implementing the resolutions passed at the Council meeting in 2013, the Board of the Council has sent its delegates an extensive report on the Working Meeting held in Munich in March 2014 to keep them up to date with current issues. I hope that this information will be distributed within your national or regional BMW Club organisation and also within the BMW corporate organisation. I would particularly like to thank my colleagues Phil Abrami and David de Bruyn for this.

The aim of effective communication must be to develop and define an active partnership between the official BMW Clubs and the BMW organisation throughout the world in all its relevant aspects. In many parts of our global BMW Club community this is a genuine partnership - for example in the case of the BMW CCA and BMW North America in the USA. What can help with the development of such partnerships? As an official BMW Club, we have the privilege but not the right to seek ways to develop a partnership with the BMW organisation, its importers and dealers. Ideas and suggestions: Patience, perseverance, ideas for creating win-win situations, the use of the tools available to the BMW Clubs International Council, the “BMW Clubs’ World” platform, the Council website or our Facebook site or the help of the Club Office and Club Office Manager in presenting your club and gaining your BMW partner’s attention. As a BMW Club, as a club member and as a BMW enthusiast, we all have something to bring to the specific “BMW spirit” in order to promote it. I hope you enjoy a great BMW season in 2014, whether on two or four wheels. Drive safely, ride safely, wherever you are.

Dr. Bernhard Knöchlein Vice Chair Classic BMW Clubs International Council

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 2 contents

2 Editorial

3 content / Imprint

current issues 4 BMW Group Classic: New location with historic roots.

5 New department manager at BMW Group Classic: Introduction Gabriele Fink.

6 BMW Group Brand Protection. Product and Trademark Protection.

Reports 7 Techno Classica 2014.

9 Following the tracks of GT in America.

12 Adventure Tour following the Dakar Rally.

Interview 16 Dr. Ralf Ziegler, Spokesman International BMW Classic- and Type Clubs Section.

17 event diary

imprint Publisher Editor-in-Chief Copy editor BMW Group Classic Kati Hockner Elke Hesse

Responsible for Picture editing Lithography content shot one Zehentner & Partner Ulrich Arendts BMW Classic Munich

Postal address Art direction Petuelring 130 Anne von Koenigswald 80788 Munich shot one

Graphics Franziska Sporrer shot one

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 3 Current issues

New location with historic roots. Original BMW production site returns to company ownership.

A move to a new location for BMW Group Classic marks a return to Knorr-Bremse took over ownership of the entire site and the the company’s historic roots. BMW AG has acquired a plot of land buildings on it. Soon after, BMW AG built new manufacturing covering more than 13,000 square metres in the Milbertshofen facilities on Lerchenauer Strasse, not far from the original facto- district of Munich. Previously part of a Knorr-Bremse AG facility, ry, where it would expand production to include engines for cars, it won’t be long before the site finds its feet as the first port of call trucks, motorcycles and boats over the period that followed. for fans of historical cars and motorcycles from the BMW, and Rolls-Royce brands. Its close proximity to BMW Plant Munich, And now, more than 90 years later, the acquisition of the premises BMW’s “four-cylinder” building, BMW Welt and the BMW Museum for BMW Group Classic sees the company returning to its historic makes this an ideal new home for BMW Group Classic. roots. The integration of part of the old production halls and the heritage-protected gate building into the overall concept for the new BMW Group Classic site also offers the opportunity for an Historic Halls intriguing confluence of architecture and function in the mould Interestingly, among the buildings on the plot is a section of the of the BMW Museum, which has also been heritage-protected original BMW factory built in 1918. The company will therefore since 1999. regain ownership of part of the old aero engine production halls, we well as the entrance building from those early days. The latter is poised to be recommissioned as the gateway into the Past and present company’s history. BMW Group Classic is the branch of the BMW Group responsible for all activities revolving around the history of the company and its The purchase agreement between BMW AG and Knorr-Bremse three brands – BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. The BMW archive, for AG, the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail example, specialises in answering questions on the history of the and commercial vehicles, was signed in February, paving the company, its brands and products. way for the development of the site and its historical buildings. Initial plans for the redevelopment of the plot and buildings are The BMW Museum conveys the fascination of the BMW brand – currently being examined. through its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions – with vivid references to the present and future. And BMW Group Classic’s The company’s vision involves bringing together numerous BMW brief also extends to participating in classic events, preserving Group Classic activities at a single address which satisfies require- and managing a collection of some 1,000 exhibits, and offering ments in terms of space, building technology and security that far-reaching services for owners of historical vehicles, from the the existing premises could no longer meet. The new location will supply of replacement parts to full restoration. offer space for the BMW Group Classic workshop, a customer centre (including parts sales for vintage and classic models), the BMW company archive, and administration and event facilities. Added to which, the new site will also allow BMW Group Classic to put items from its collection of historic vehicles on display.

A Nucleus in the Moosacher Strasse The new home of BMW Group Classic was once the cradle of industrial-scale manufacturing of BMW engines: it was on Moosacher Strasse that the company first began producing aircraft engines in large numbers from 1918 on. Late in 1920, however,

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 4 Current issues nk. A new department manager at BMW GROUP CLASSIC.

Gabriele Fink (49) took over responsibility for the BMW Museum and Marketing at BMW Group Classic with effect from 1 May 2014. Her predecessor, Dr. Ralf Rodepeter will now have responsibility for product strategy and marketing at BMW Motorrad.

Gabriele Fink began her career 22 years ago in the archive of American car giant Ford and has remained loyal to the automobile industry ever since. After another move to venerable Swedish brand Volvo, she joined the BMW Group in 2000. First serving as press officer for the newly launched MINI brand, she has held a number of different positions within the Group’s communications organisation over the last 14 years. Her most recent position was Head of International Press and PR Events. ele f i She herself says: “My new position at BMW Group Classic brings the wheel full circle – after all, I started out studying history. I’m really lucky to be able to make my passion my job. In addition to dealing with Classic business, I also really enjoy people. This encompasses not just my new colleagues and staff, but also the many enthusiasts who pour so much commitment into the clubs worldwide.”

In her private life, Gabriele Fink is a passionate collector by nature. As yet, she has not succumbed to the temptation of an historic car or motorbike, preferring art and antiques. In her leisure time she likes to head for warmer climes, where she can indulge her love for windsurfing and sailing. abr i

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 5 G ACktueurrentlles issues

on BMW Group Brand Protection.

“Why not buy (apparently) genuine BMW parts for less?” The Internet is full of ads for supposedly genuine parts that subsequently turn out to be poor quality fakes. Using these parts can cause damage to the car. The damage caused is often much greater than the savings achieved to begin with. It is often very difficult for consumers to differentiate between an original and a counterfeit with the naked eye. That’s why it is so important to choose your source with care.

Serious safety risk However, the use of copycat products can do more than cause damage to the car. If the counterfeit products involve safety-related parts, this can also entail significant risks for the driver and other road-users. For example, laboratory tests on counterfeit wheels carried out by the BMW Group have shown that these fail to meet either legal standards or BMW’s own higher demands.

Thus, after testing, counterfeit wheels were found to be seriously damaged and, in addition, there was an acute drop in tyre pressure due to the damage. This can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, exposing them to other serious dangers. i protect d

Brand Protection Team The BMW Group pursues the clear objective of protecting customers from product forgery and its consequenc- es. The brand protection team at the BMW Group uses an international network to combat product counterfeit- ers worldwide. bran A large proportion of counterfeit products can be stopped before they

d cross territorial boundaries. This is thanks to intensive cooperation with the customs authorities and other bodies in Original Counterfeit over 75 countries throughout the world.

In practical terms this means that the brand protection team tracks down counterfeit goods, prevents their sale The test simulates an impact and finally brings the perpetrators to comparable to driving over a justice for their crimes. After all, coun- pothole or a large obstacle. terfeit products particularly threaten the A carriage similar to an axe is safety of the consumer. dropped onto the tyre at a trans- verse angle to the wheel, similar to a guillotine. The weight of the If you become aware of a counterfeit dropped carriage is 150 kg. product, contact the brand protection team at: Conclusion: The wheels must [email protected] meet specific minimum require- d uct an ments. The counterfeit failed to You will find further details at: even come close to the required http://www.bmwgroup.com/com/en/ values. The results obtained in brands/brand-protection.html relation to the counterfeit wheel can be evaluated as safety- critical. ro BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 6 P Reports

Techno classica. Essen, 26.- 30.04.2014. Stefan Bordt, BMW Veteranen-Club Deutschland e.V.

With more than 1,250 exhibitors from 30 different countries presenting their cars and products in 20 halls and several open arenas to a crowd of around 190,000 automobile enthusiasts, the Techno Classica show in Essen is the world’s big- gest vintage and classic car exhibition. More than 2,500 cars were on sale and once again this year, some astonishing prices were achieved. Already on the first day of the show there were “Sold” signs to be seen behind the windscreens of many handsomely priced classic cars.

Keeping with tradition, BMW Classic presented its automobile history in Hall 12 together with the BMW Clubs. This year, visitors were reminded of the record- breaking performances and spectacular successes in sport associated with the BMW brand for many decades. The new version of the BMW 328 Touring Coupé was on display, a precise evocation of the race car that won the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in its class 75 years ago. Here it was presented with a white painted exterior and an additional headlight on the front (in 1940 the same 328 Touring Coupé, this time in silvery livery, took overall first place in the Mille Miglia).

Precisely 60 years later, BMW celebrated its first overall victory in the world’s best-known long-distance race with the V12 LMR. The winning car from 1999 was also on show in Essen. Touring cars from the 1970s and 1980s were also displayed, for example the BMW 3.0 CSL and the first generation of the BMW M3, developed for the DTM race series. Sporting successes on two wheels were recalled with bikes such as the BMW R 37 and the BMW R 80 G/S.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 7 Reports

Looking at the topic of 80 years of lightweight construction, which has domi- nated the character of BMW cars both on the racing scene and in everyday use for eight years, BMW Classic used the Techno Classica as an opportunity to cover every era, from the triumphs of the 1930s to the present, including a comparison of the space frame of the BMW 328 Kamm racing limousine made from electron, a special alloy of magnesium and aluminium, and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid , which has a passenger cell made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic.

Other rarities on show in Essen were provided by members of numerous BMW Clubs. This year, the enclosure shared by more than 20 exhibiting BMW Clubs celebrated the 10th anniversary of the umbrella organisation, the “International BMW Classic and Type Clubs Section”.

For many years, the active owners and fans of historic cars in the BMW Clubs have provided invaluable service in preserving and presenting living automotive history in the BMW brand, both at the Techno Classica show and in many other events. This was also witnessed by the large format photographs on the sides of the halls, taken at various club events and impressively illustrating the lively nature of club life and the members’ enjoyment of their hobby. At the Techno Classic show, the BMW Clubs once again presented a wide spectrum of cars, ranging from the pre-war BMW DA3 and the BMW Isetta and BMW 2.5 CS to the modern BMW 325i E 36, to name just a few. All clubs were very positive about the more relaxed placement of the club counter this year. Although the exhibition presence of other manufacturers might be bigger, in the final analysis what counts is the great atmosphere in Hall 12, the friendly interaction between BMW Clubs and BMW Classic and the shared pleasure in fascinating historic BMW cars.

more than 20 exhibiting bmw clubs.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 8 Reports

ON THE top left: in the Redwood Forest. top right: Axel Coelln (l) with Uwe Gusen GLAS GT TRAIL at Glaciers Point. downright: Fully motivated, David under IN THE USA. the GLAS.

Uwe Gusen, President GLAS Automobilclub International e. V.

Axel Coelln once told me that he would love to travel across America by train to visit the west coast. I was really fired up by this idea and we decided to make the trip together – 3,000 miles by train – 2,200 miles by soft-top along the coast and a rendezvous with some interesting members of the GLAS Club. 8 October 2013 was the day our trip began. I flew to New York and one day later was already on the train bound for Chicago. Having arrived there, Axel and I travelled on with the famous “Empire Builder” train, through the Rocky Mountains to reach Portland, Oregon. This trip by sleeping car and viewing car took three days, passing through a wide variety of landscapes. Having reached our destination, we were given our rented car, a red Chevrolet Camaro Cabriolet - wow! We had hardly taken possession of the car before we had our first date with GLAS Club members David Rives, who had come in his white GLAS 1700 GTS and Ted Davis, who owns a BMW 1600 GT. We met at Widmer’s Brauhaus, a German style restaurant with its own brewery. After an American beer and a modest meal, we drove to David Rives’ home.

“I never let my GLAS alone.” David Rives is an old friend who has already visited us several times during GLAS meetings in Germany. David is an English teacher and studied for a number of semesters in Freiburg, Germany. This means that German poses no problems for him. He now heads up a large teachers’ union. He loves his car and would never leave it unsupervised on the street. He acquired the vehicle ten years ago. The body and interior are in very good condition., He also showed us his collection of literature, consisting of numerous publications by the former American GLAS Club. However David doesn’t just collect items relating to GLAS and was pleased to show us his huge record collection. The next day, when we dropped by on the way to see Ted Davis, he was so fired up by our visit that he was already under his GLAS, trying to align the exhaust pipe.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 9 Reports

A boyhood dream came true! Ted Davis was fascinated with the BMW 1600 GT from his youth and the first thing he showed us was his collection of old brochures. A few years ago he fulfilled a boyhood dream by purchasing a BMW GT. The car’s paintwork was completely removed and the body was welded at a number of points before the original turf colour was reapplied. It is extremely important to Ted that his car should be restored to absolutely original condition. In his other life, Ted sells camper vans. His company deals in beautiful models from Airstream.

The itinerary for the next day was sightseeing and a visit to the Redwood Forest. Huge trees, some of them over 1,000 years old, awaited us. In some parts the trees were so dense that it was pitch dark in the forest, even though it was the middle of the day. We left Oregon behind and drove further south. In California we first visited the Napa Valley, where German immigrants had discovered the perfect site for their vineyards. We then moved on to meet with Bill Watson, who was already expecting us.

Racing – his greatest passion Bill Watson runs a customising workshop for BMW cars from the 1970s and 80s on the Sonoma race track, about 50 km north of San Francisco. In his garage Bill showed us a BMW 2002, a beautiful BMW E9 racing coupé and a 3 Series BMW race car, all in BMW’s classic racing white. He also owns three GLAS 1700 GT models, all of which are awaiting restoration. His intention is to convert these cars to BMW technology. He loves the GLAS design, but prefers the technology of BMW. He wants to turn one into a race car. We spent a long evening with him and still have happy memories of the time.

The next day we reached San Francisco. You can spend a lot of time in San Francisco, but unfortunately our schedule did not allow for this. We therefore just covered the basics: a city tour by open-topped bus, a visit to Pier 39 with its now famous sea lions, Fisherman’s Wharf and Lambard Street with its many twists and turns and floral displays.

“That’s my Baby!” The next morning we travelled on to meet with Andrea Moore, who owns a GLAS 17000 GT. The family afforded us a hearty welcome and Andrea told us how, a couple of years back, she and Doug had visited a friend who owned a GLAS. Andrea fell in love with the car at first sight and the friend gave her the car as a gift. She joined the GLAS Club and would love to be able to drive the car, but first the GT needs to be restored. From San Francisco we then struck out for the interior of the country and Yosemite National Park. At the entrance to the park we encountered vast areas of burned and damaged trees. A forest fire had done a huge amount of damage here a few weeks earlier. We soon reached the impressive valley, which is enclosed by massive high rock walls. This beautiful forested area is popular with many tourists. We were lucky enough to find a room in the middle of the park. Our next port of call was with Kathleen and Tom Kerber in Merced.

top right: The Golden Gate Bridge was mostly under fog. bottom left: Andrea’s GLAS. bottom right: Bill Watson’s garage.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 10

Reports .

Honeymoon in a 1700 GT Tom Kerber surprised us by telling us he had purchased the GLAS at the end of 1967. This makes him one of two known original owners in the USA. He married his wife Kathleen in May 1968 and drove the GLAS on honeymoon. Tom used the car on a routine basis until 1978, always taking it to a repair shop near San Francisco that specialised in German cars. However, when the toothed belt came off during a trip, he was forced to retire the car, a situation that was to last 35 years. Tom has been a member of our club since 2005 and is determined to repair the engine and to get the car back on the road.

The next day, after a pleasant evening together, we drove through vast fields of fruit and n USA vegetables to reach the coast, where we took the famous Highway No. 1 to Los Angeles. The highway winds its way for miles between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The landscape is very impressive and features a wide variety of vegetation. Just before reaching Los Angeles, we turned away from the coast again, passing through an amazing desert area GLAS20 where we met almost no other cars, then climbing up into the mountains. We visited four more club members before flying back to New York on 27 October 2013, then driving to Norwalk, 50 miles north-east of New York, where Axel Cölln lives.

Axel – a member of the GLAS Automobile Club for more than 20 years Axel Coelln first encountered GLAS in 1965 at the age of 20. He bought an Isar. This “acquaintance” only lasted two years, because Axel immigrated to the United States in 1967. In the meantime he has become an American citizen. When he discovered a GLAS asts i 1700 GT in a scrapyard in 1900, he remembered the marque and bought the car, setting i about its restoration. Axel joined the GLAS Automobile Club in 1991 and attended his first annual meet in Saalfelden in 1992. In the meantime, Axel is now our longest-serving mem- ber in the United States. He looks after all the country’s GLAS fans, who have now grown in number to twenty. He sold his fully restored GLAS 1700 GT in the interim. Instead he purchased a GLAS 1300 GT Cabrio in 1996. Following restoration, this car is now in perfect condition. In addition, in 2009 he also purchased a BMW 1600 GT with sunroof – quite a rarity in the U.S. I have been friends with Axel for over 20 years, which is the reason for this unusual trip. But, we weren’t quite finished yet.

After a short stop, we journeyed on towards Boston and Norfolk/Massachusetts, where we visited two more club members before I took the plane back to Munich at the beginning of November. I have a lot of happy memories of the trip. enthus

top: Tom Kerber’s GLAS as wedding car 1968. bottom left: Ted (r), proud owner. bottom right: Axel Coelln’s BMW 1600 GT.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 11 Reports

adventure tour following the dakar rally. Garry Williams, BMW Owners Register of New Zealand Buenos Aires reminded me a bit of Abu Dhabi, very crowded but really exciting with plenty going on! It was hot too, sitting around After our top to bottom GS Anniversary ride in New Zealand at the 38°C! I liked Argentina pretty much straight away, beer comes by end of 2010 [Council Newsletter 2/11], my friend and riding buddy, the litre - and since we were on bus to Rosario the next morning Justin, and I started kicking around ideas for the next ‘big’ adven- there were no worries about drink driving. I had another one or two. ture. We thought a bit about riding across South Africa but, as the The next day, our bus picked us up early for the four-hour drive to Dakar Rally has always fascinated me, I suggested hopping over to Rosario through an interesting landscape, similar to where I live in South America for a look in 2014, giving us a bit of time to save up Canterbury with its long straight roads - and it’s flat as far as you the necessary funds. can see. We checked into to La Casa de Arriba, a nice backpacker style hotel close to the centre of town. Our hosts, Nachos (like the Rather than deal with logistics ourselves, in May 2013 we put food) and his partner, looked after us well, even making sure the ourselves in the hands of Magnus Eriksson, owner of Outback fridge was well stocked with cold beer for later! Adventure Treks in Australia. Magnus put together a two-week guided “Chasing the Dakar” tour for what we thought was a pretty We wandered down town to spend a couple of hours at Dakar Parc reasonable cost, and with pretty much everything you’d need to Ferme to check out the podium. Thousands of people were out consider if you went by yourself sorted out. watching the parade of race vehicles before the start on Sunday – a brilliant atmosphere! We invited a few friends from the GS Anniversary trip to join us and waited for “the day we fly out” to come around – it was a long wait! Rosario is a much tidier city than Buenos Aires, it was just as hot Eventually, Friday 3 January came around and Justin, Alex, Ian and although not unpleasant and its cafés abundant. Before we left I met up in Auckland for our 18 hour flight. Leaving at 4:15 pm, with New Zealand we had black polo shirts made for each of us with a a three and a half hour break in Santiago and arriving in Buenos silver fern logo on one side and the Dakar logo on the other, which Aires at 5:00 pm on the same day was pretty weird. were already drawing quite a bit of attention! We couldn’t stay out too late though, we had paperwork for the bikes to do and a 5:30 alarm to get underway in the morning, and Buenos Aires – Rosario we’re told we’ve got around 700 kilometres to ride to get in front of Magnus met us at Buenos Aires airport and had arranged taxis the racing. Our strategy is to jump ahead of the Rally on alternate to the Hotel La Perla in the middle of town where we met up with days so we have every other day to watch as much of the racing Dave, Rod and Maryann, David and Vicki, Rene and Clarry (the as we can. other Australian on the trip) for a beer and some dinner.

top left: Leaving Rosario on day 1 of the Dakar Rally. top right: Shiny bikes lined up in Rosario. Of the 196 starters only 78 will finish. bottom: Joan Nani Roma went on to win the Dakar, he also won it on a bike when it was still held in North Africa in 2004.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 12 Reports

top left: Day 15 – BMW F650GS vs dune. top right: Rod, Alex, Justin and Thomas (f. l. t. r.). bottom: We love the trucks!

Rosario – San Luis Early Sunday morning we met up with Thomas, driver of the After a couple of hours watching we headed to our hotel in support vehicle and our ‘fixer’ for the trip, and collected our bikes – Mendoza, further north of San Rafael and only a short run a BMW F650GS twin for most of us. We left Rosario following the (300 kilometres) from San Luis. We had most of the afternoon to competitor’s transit route ending up between the cars and trucks ourselves and a few others went wine tasting at a vineyard about as the bikes left at 3:00 am on an 809 kilometre stage. The way 10 minutes away - but it was too hot for me! I really needed a the locals treated us you’d think we were competing. I’ve never proper sleep after a few restless nights. had my photo taken so often and people wanting autographs or photos of their kids with the bikes swamped us at every stop. Quite something! Mendoza – San Juan I had no problem riding on the right; in fact it seemed quite Tuesday was a short day on the bike, only 438 kilometres, but it natural. We rode 658 kilometres to the bivouac at the Potrero de took best part of 10 hours to get to San Juan. The race bikes left los Funes race track in San Luis. Magnus must have said we were again at 3:30 am, which was a tad early for us. They had another All Blacks, or something as important, as the Police on duty waved 600+ kilometre day in front of them. We stopped for a couple of us through. We got to ride part of the track, again with thousands hours to watch the cars and trucks starting the marathon stage of people waving and cheering us on, it was all quite surreal. outside Mendoza, man those Minis are quick! Alex and I found a choice vantage point on a hill just north of the first corner. Plenty We met some ‘proper’ riders who were happy to chat and quite of action! pleased we’d come such a long way to follow them around. The people here just love Kiwis! We managed to get a bit of gravel in during our ride, some of it very deep. I do not like the F650GS much but shouldn’t really complain; The Hotel Aiello we stayed in San Luis had a pool, which was a the HP2 Enduro I have at home spoils me a bit. I was also drinking bonus as shirts, shorts and socks needed a wash. a lot of water, at least 5L a day - and none of it came out. It was really hot!

San Luis – Mendoza It started cooling down a bit as we climbed into the foothills Another early morning start on Monday has us heading into the though. San Juan was okay and despite much abject poverty its foothills of the Andes to one of the designated spectator zones to people seemed very happy. I finally got to go to San José. It was a catch the start of stage 2. The race bikes had another big day with great day, the best so far! a 365 kilometre transit and a 359 kilometre special stage between San Luis and San Rafael.

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 13 Reports

San Juan – La Rioja La Rioja – Cafayate We had a nice start from San Juan on Wednesday, 24°C is much Thursday was the marathon stage of the Rally where all competi- more pleasant to ride in, but it didn’t take long before it hit 39°C. tors had a 384 kilometre transit and a 527 kilometre special stage We watched the start of the stage to Chilecito before heading to get to San Miguel de Tucuman. We also had a big day to get 456 kilometres east to our overnight stop in La Rioja. ahead of the rally again, 636 kilometres to Cafayate about half way between Tucuman and the next stage stop, and rest day, in Salta. We stopped a few times to refresh, basically tipping buckets of What a fantastic ride! First, a hill road of about 90 kilometres with cold water on our heads, and got mobbed by local kids and their a surface like you’d find on a race track. Some serious foot peg parents whenever we stopped for gas, especially with all the support scrapping going on! Then onto Tafi de Valle over Ruta 307, with vehicles stopping as well. stunning views of the lake from the summit before winding down

Justin and Ian took a couple of local girls for a spin on the bikes; to Amaicha del Valle and lunch at a small café next to the Museo I didn’t think they were coming back. Pachamama, a simply stunning spot.

By now we were well in front of the race bikes and I was looking From there, we took the famous Ruta 40 for the last leg to Cafayate forward to seeing spectacular racing the next day. Everything was and Hotel Los Sauces. Ruta 40 is the longest route in Argentina fine, we made a good group for the most part and Magnus was and one of the largest in the world at more than 5,000 km long. looking after us well. We’d had a couple of minor issues with one or It starts at sea level at its southern end near the city of Río Gallegos, two of the bikes but Thomas proved to be a pretty good mechanic. crosses 20 national parks, 18 major rivers, 27 passes on the Andes, He was teaching me useful Spanish too! and goes up to 5,000 m above sea level in Salta. A lot of it is gravel, and we just loved it! The Hotel Avenida in La Rioja was one of the nicer places we stayed at, with great air conditioning, too! We enjoyed a brilliant dinner in the plaza with plenty of cerveza. By far, the best day yet!

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 14 Reports

Cafayate – Salta Well, best laid plans and all that. We’d hoped Friday would be a stopping at several tourist sites along the way for photos. We great spectating day with a lazy ride to Salta later in the afternoon. encountered a bit of light rain in Cafayate, the first of the trip, but As it happened, we stopped on the way out of Cafayate to fill up it was still quite warm. only to find the gas station closed, the Dakar boys had cleaned out the petrol and a refill wasn’t due until later in the afternoon. We duly collected the wallet, grabbed some breakfast in the plaza and started the return run to Salta about 10:30 am. On Magnus sent Thomas ahead in the Ranger to find gas while the way back the temperature dropped to 16°C and intermittent we headed back into Cafayate to wait. We found a spot on the showers on the red clay made the canyon road quite slippery. We square at the edge of town and settled in to watch the cars and took it very easy. About 40 kilometres out from Salta the heavens trucks leaving. A great little sandwichería provided freshly made opened and we got soaked. My GPS battery gave up with about empanadas to keep us going. 10 kilometres to go; fortunately I remembered how we got to the hotel despite the one way system. Thomas didn’t get back until just after 12:00 pm and was only able to provide a couple of litres each to get us underway. It was I skipped dinner and went to bed early, it was quite hard getting only 189 to Salta, but one or two didn’t make it on the petrol they any sleep when there’s 4 to a room and 3 of them snore. For the had. No worries on the twin though, got to the gas station about next three nights we were back to 2 per room, so that would prove 140 kilometres away with a slight cough entering the forecourt. better.

We got to Salta later than expected, checked into the Ibis hotel Salta is not the city I expected, more like a town that just has too and headed out for dinner, all of us really looking forward to a rest many people and the infrastructure is insufficient for torrential rain. day on Saturday. The streets were flooded and raw sewerage was everywhere, the traffic was just chaos. We were on an adventure though and I was So much for a rest day, Alex left his wallet back in Cafayate. Thom- stoked to get through a day out without a guide or an interpreter as offered to go back in the Ranger but Alex wanted to ride back and still manage. to get it. Magnus did not want him riding alone and insisted that whoever went with him had a GPS. I put my hand up, after all Alex To be continued in BMW Clubs’ World 3/14 is a mate. We left at 6:00 am and had a great ride back in 20°C,

top: Group shot at Tafi de Valle (Photo: Maryann Broderick). bottom left: Day 14 – Pain Olivier (France) riding Yamaha. bottom right: (Spain) Special Stage Combarbala. Interview

Interview with Dr. Ralf Ziegler. International BMW Classic and Type Clubs Section.

What is your position in the International BMW Classic the event we participate in as an umbrella group alongside and Type Clubs Section? BMW Classic. Almost all clubs in the section exhibit cars here, Since January I’m the spokesman for the International encountering lots of international visitors. BMW Classic and Type Clubs Section. How old are the vehicles that are present in your umbrel- The International BMW Classic and Type Clubs Section la organisation? enjoys a very special position in the international BMW That is not so easy to say. BMW is now producing vehicles that Club scene. Can you describe this position? are classics the moment they leave the factory, something that 24 BMW Clubs representing 11,000 members have come escapes some models that are decades old. together under our aegis. Our clubs are characterised by their interest in the history of BMW vehicles, but less so by the Everyone in the scene is talking about the trend towards geographical location of their activities. This makes them as va- an ageing membership. How do you view this issue? ried as the range of BMW models over the years. BMW cars were always more youthful and dynamic than those of other manufacturers. Happily this means that we also appeal We are united by our conviction that our cars are something to age groups that are only interested in significantly younger worth preserving. Vehicles that would be regarded elsewhere models in the case of other brands. as total write-offs are instead restored, giving BMW spare parts supply a particular importance. What do you believe to be the most important task of the section for the future? We read with increasing frequency that classic cars, even Internationalisation. Our clubs bring together a great deal of models that were fairly common not so long ago, make excellent expertise in relation to the cars, as well as passion for the brand. investments. The five classic cars that registered the greatest We would be happy to share this with lots more people all over appreciation in value in Germany in 2013 included three very the world. different : the LS Coupé in fourth place, the 501 V8 limousine in third place and the 520i (1972 – 1977) in first place. Can you tell us a little more about yourself personally? However, the cost of maintaining classic cars can actually slightly I am 48 years old and live in the Rhineland region of Germany. exceed their appreciation in value. But this is irrelevant for people As a qualified nuclear physicist, my background is in international who love their cars and who want to enjoy them and keep them research. Computers were part of my bread-and-butter, so that for as long as possible. the switch to becoming an IT consultant was very easy for me.

We have known you for some years now – what were your I am interested in old technology, including cars, as a kind of previous roles in this section? side-line. I also have a particular thing for classic design in which Eight years ago I was elected to the board of the section and form follows function without any bells and whistles. at about the same time I also took over responsibility for the appearance of BMW Classic and the Classic and Type Clubs at What fascinates you about classic vehicles? the Techno Classica show. In general I am attracted to cars that celebrate new ideas in technology or design, venture into new market segments or Can you describe the life of the club? express new values within the BMW brand. It is much the same as all other BMW Clubs: meetings, technical interviews, visits to events and, above all, sheer driving pleasure. Which is your favourite car from BMW at present? Then there is the work required to maintain the cars. A great deal of the work required on our cars is unfamiliar to modern mecha- Logically enough the answer is the BMW i3, because this nics – we need to acquire and pass on the necessary expertise vehicle has pioneered new strategies in every aspect of car to maintain our cars. manufacture. The engineering performance that goes into this car, as well as the entrepreneurial courage to venture into uncharted waters without being forced to do so should not be Which events does the section attend? underestimated. Techno Classica as the world’s largest vintage car show is

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 16 event diary

May 42nd BMW RA Rally, Birmingham, Alabama, USA 29.05. – 31.05.2014, www.bmwra.org

38th International BMW Veterans Meeting in Bad Nauheim, Germany 29.05. – 01.06.2014, www.bmw-veteranenclub.de

june 45th BMW CCA Oktoberfest, Beaver Creek, CO, USA 16.06. – 20.06.2014, www.bmwcca.org

july BMW Motorrad Days, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany 04.07. – 06.07.2014, www.bmw-motorrad.de

42nd BMW MOA International Rally, Minnesota, USA 24.07. – 27.07.2014, www.bmwmoa.org

august AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix, Nürburgring, Germany 08.08. – 10.08.2014, www.nuerburgring.de

Rally with BMW Z1, Z3, Z4, Z8 to Buochs / Ennetbürgen, Switzerland 17.08. – 17.08.2014, www.bmwz3club.ch

Annual General Meeting of the BMW Clubs Latin America Federation, Montevideo, Uruguay 22.08. – 24.08.2014, www.bmwclubslaf.org

further events 2014 International Council Meeting, Tokyo, Japan 27.09. – 30.09.2014, www.bmw-clubs-international.com

VETERAMA, Mannheim, Germany 11.10. – 12.10.2014, www.veterama.de

BMW Clubs Asia Meeting, Manila, Philippines 06. – 07.12.2014, [email protected]

BMW Clubs’ World 2/14 17 BMW Classic

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